Sunday Morning (Damaged #7.5)(19)

“Want some?” he asked.

My mind immediately flashed to the tiny person inside me. As much as I could use a little buzz, I shook my head.

Kirk nodded and then leaned against the wall. “How long have you known you’re pregnant?”

I stared at him in horror, unable to understand how he saw past my amazing deception.

“What?”

“You haven’t been smoking for weeks. You keep saying no to liquor. Plus you got that belly now.”

I frowned down at my belly and then back at him. “I’m not getting rid of it.”

“Sounds about right.”

“You’re not mad?” I asked, suspicious of his calm demeanor.

“For what? I was in charge of the condoms. I’m not gonna blame you for me failing at my job.”

Kirk joined me on the couch and patted my knee. “Hiding this from me wasn’t a very mature move.”

“Fuck off.”

Grinning, he leaned over and kissed the top of my head. “Did you think I wouldn’t notice?”

“I was waiting for me to get through the first trimester. I read in a book I found at the library that waiting was smart.”

“So it said not to tell your man until after the first trimester?”

“Yes,” I said, fighting a smile. “I was scared you were going to make me get rid of it.”

“That doesn’t sound like me. I’m a laidback guy.”

Rolling my eyes, I muttered in my version of Kirk's voice, “I’m too old, and you’re too young. This ain’t happening, kid. Life don’t have no rainbows and pineapples.”

“Pineapples, huh?”

“Well when you start bullshitting me with the age thing, I stop listening.”

“Fair enough,” he said, holding my hand.

“I love you, and I love the baby. I’m glad you’re not freaking out, but I’m also scared because you’re not freaking out.”

“You’re having my son. That’s a good thing, Jodi.”

“It’s a girl,” I said immediately.

“Do you know that for sure because I sense it’s a boy.”

“You’re wrong. I had a dream. I’m already thinking names. I like Tiara.”

Kirk grinned. “We’re not naming our daughter something silly. Sorry, Jodi. You can run me around like your f*cking bitch on most things, but I refuse to have kids will stupid names.”

“Well, I’m not naming our son Kirk Junior. I hate that stuff.”

“I’m Kirk Junior.”

“Oh, sorry,” I said, patting his hand in fake sympathy. “I should call you KJ.”

“We’ve got lots of time to talk names.”

I exhaled hard and let the realization of this moment take hold.

“I was really nervous about your reaction.”

“I know. You’re probably right to worry. I’m not used to having anyone depend on me like you do. I’ll probably f*ck up a lot before I stop f*cking up.”

“At least, you’re honest about it.”

“That I am.”

Kirk removed the pillow from in front of me and rested his hand on my stomach.

“How are you feeling?”

“I’m hungry a lot, and I cried yesterday at school because my French fries were soggy at lunch. Otherwise, I feel okay.”

“Well, I guess we better feed you more so my boy can get big and strong in there.”

“It’s a girl, Kirk.”

“Said your dream. My gut says otherwise.”

“I want a girl.”

“We’ll have a second kid, but we won’t name her Tiara.”

“How about Heaven?”

Kirk kissed me softly and then stood up. “Not f*cking happening. I’ll buy you a baby name book, and you can start looking for something to name our son.”

I rolled my eyes, but somehow Kirk saying we were having a boy made me really think we were. In fact, I stopped worrying about girl names immediately.

“We can’t have a kid here,” Kirk said from the kitchen.

I walked to where he dumped a can of ravioli into a pan.

“We can put the baby in the bedroom with us.”

“My boy needs space to run. He’ll need a dog too. No space in here for a boy and his dog.”

Smiling, I leaned into his body. “I wish I told you sooner. I’ve been nervous about things. Now all that scary stuff has disappeared.”

“I’m going to figure out what to do about our living situation. I have ideas.”

Kirk’s tone killed my smile. He was intimidating as hell when his brain snapped into overdrive. I didn’t know what his ideas entailed, but I figured they were bigger than finding a new apartment.





15 - Kirk


Jodi finished her junior year of high school while carrying my son. We still didn’t know the gender, but I felt in my bones that my woman was carrying a boy.

Each morning, I woke up and watched Jodi sleep. Her blonde hair usually covered her face, blocking the sunlight. She always slept on her back, with her hands resting next to her shoulders. Looking so vulnerable, Jodi needed more than Chesterfield offered.

The town wasn’t the worst I’d seen, but the schools were bad, the people were rude, and violence broke out randomly. For my woman and son, I expected more.